U.S. patent number 11,274,657 [Application Number 15/649,704] was granted by the patent office on 2022-03-15 for nacelle for a wind turbine, the nacelle comprising side units.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Vestas Wind Systems A/S. The grantee listed for this patent is Vestas Wind Systems A/S. Invention is credited to Mazyar Abolfazlian, Karsten Buch-Lorentsen, Erland Falk Hansen, Frank Hansen, Morten Mogensen, Henning Mortensen, Peter Haakon Porta.
United States Patent |
11,274,657 |
Mortensen , et al. |
March 15, 2022 |
Nacelle for a wind turbine, the nacelle comprising side units
Abstract
A nacelle for a wind turbine and a method for erecting a wind
turbine are disclosed. The nacelle comprises a main unit arranged
to be connected to a wind turbine tower, via a yawing arrangement,
and at least one side unit mounted along a side of the main unit in
such a manner that direct access is allowed between the main unit
and the side unit(s), each side unit accommodating at least one
wind turbine component, and at least one side unit being capable of
carrying the wind turbine component(s) accommodated therein. The
main unit and at least one of the side unit(s) are distributed side
by side along a substantially horizontal direction which is
substantially transverse to a rotational axis of a rotor of the
wind turbine. A sufficient interior space of the nacelle is
obtained while allowing the nacelle to be transported due to the
modular construction. The weight of the wind turbine components is
arranged close to the tower due to the transversal arrangement of
the side unit(s) relative to the main unit.
Inventors: |
Mortensen; Henning (Randers,
DK), Hansen; Frank (Arden, DK),
Buch-Lorentsen; Karsten (Ry, DK), Porta; Peter
Haakon (Aalborg, DK), Hansen; Erland Falk (Morke,
DK), Abolfazlian; Mazyar (Brabrand, DK),
Mogensen; Morten (Hvidovre, DK) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Vestas Wind Systems A/S |
Aarhus N. |
N/A |
DK |
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Assignee: |
Vestas Wind Systems A/S (Aarhus
N., DK)
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Family
ID: |
44625035 |
Appl.
No.: |
15/649,704 |
Filed: |
July 14, 2017 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20170314535 A1 |
Nov 2, 2017 |
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Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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13636393 |
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PCT/EP2011/051238 |
Jan 28, 2011 |
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61316152 |
Mar 22, 2010 |
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Foreign Application Priority Data
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Mar 22, 2010 [DK] |
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PA 2010 70117 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F03D
80/60 (20160501); F03D 80/82 (20160501); B66C
23/207 (20130101); F03D 13/20 (20160501); F03D
13/10 (20160501); Y02P 70/50 (20151101); Y02E
10/72 (20130101); Y02E 10/728 (20130101); F05B
2230/601 (20130101); F05B 2240/916 (20130101); F05B
2240/14 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
F03D
13/20 (20160101); F03D 13/10 (20160101); F03D
80/80 (20160101); F03D 80/60 (20160101) |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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102007062622 |
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Jun 2009 |
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DE |
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1101934 |
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May 2001 |
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EP |
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WO-0234664 |
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May 2002 |
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WO |
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WO-2009033925 |
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Mar 2009 |
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WO |
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WO-2010026114 |
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Mar 2010 |
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WO |
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Other References
"Eco 100 talking the torque and getting into good shape for O&M
maintainability", published at "Modern Power Systems" on Sep. 1,
2008 (Year: 2008). cited by examiner .
"Alstom Eco100 Guided Tour", screenshot of YouTube video
"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btr4l1_ZcAQ", Feb. 9, 2015 (Year:
2015). cited by examiner .
"Voltage dips testing campaign in ECO100", Alstom presentation Apr.
20, 2009 (Year: 2009). cited by examiner .
"Thermal optimization of nacelles", thermal analysis performed from
2006-2008 (Year: 2008). cited by examiner.
|
Primary Examiner: Seabe; Justin D
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Wood Herron & Evans LLP
Claims
The invention claimed is:
1. A nacelle for a wind turbine, comprising: a main unit arranged
to be connected to a wind turbine tower, via a yawing arrangement,
the main unit having a top, a bottom, and at least one side between
the top and bottom, the main unit having an interior; and at least
one side unit mounted along the at least one side of the main unit
in such a manner that the main unit and the at least one side unit
are distributed side-by-side along a substantially horizontal
direction which is substantially transverse to a rotational axis of
a rotor of the wind turbine, the at least one side unit having an
interior, wherein a substantially vertical wall extends between the
main unit and the at least one side unit to separate the interior
of the main unit and the interior of the at least one side unit,
the wall including a first door to allow passage between the
interior of the main unit and the interior of the at least one side
unit in the substantially horizontal direction, and wherein at
least one wind turbine component is mounted within the interior of
and supported by the at least one side unit.
2. The nacelle according to claim 1, wherein the wall includes a
second door spaced apart from the first door, the second door
allowing passage between the interior of the main unit and the
interior of the at least one side unit in the substantially
horizontal direction.
3. The nacelle according to claim 2, wherein the interior of the at
least one side unit includes first and second closed compartments,
the at least one wind turbine component being arranged in one of
the first and second closed compartments, one of the first and
second closed compartments includes a door to allow access to the
at least one wind turbine component.
4. The nacelle according to claim 3, wherein the one of the first
and second closed compartments with the at least one wind turbine
component provides electromagnetic shielding for the at least one
wind turbine component therein.
5. The nacelle according to claim 1, wherein the at least one side
of the main unit defines a mounting plane and no structural
component associated with the main unit protrudes through the
mounting plane such that the at least one side unit may be hoisted
directly adjacent and substantially parallel to the mounting plane
of the main unit.
6. The nacelle according to claim 1, wherein the at least one side
unit comprises a supporting structure, the at least one wind
turbine component being mounted to the supporting structure.
7. The nacelle according to claim 1, wherein the main unit
comprises at least one beam, the at least one beam being
connectable to lifting equipment for mounting and/or demounting the
main unit on/from the wind turbine tower.
8. The nacelle according to claim 7, wherein the at least one beam
forms part of a hoisting arrangement for hoisting and/or lowering
the at least one wind turbine component and/or the at least one
side unit to/from the nacelle.
9. The nacelle according to claim 7, wherein the at least one beam
is adapted to carry the at least one wind turbine component
accommodated in the at least one side unit.
10. The nacelle according to claim 1, wherein the least one wind
turbine component mounted within the interior of and supported by
the at least one side unit is a transformer.
11. The nacelle according to claim 10, wherein a converter is also
mounted within the interior of and supported by the at least one
side unit.
12. The nacelle according to claim 11, wherein the converter is
arranged adjacent to the transformer and adjacent to a generator of
the wind turbine.
13. The nacelle according to claim 10, wherein the transformer is
arranged at a position near the yawing arrangement.
14. The nacelle according to claim 1, wherein the at least one wind
turbine component mounted within the interior of and supported by
the at least one side unit is an on-board crane.
15. The nacelle according to claim 1, wherein the at least one side
unit extends substantially along the entire length of the main
unit.
16. The nacelle according to claim 1, wherein an interface defined
by the main unit towards the at least one side unit is connectable
to a corresponding interface of a crane, upon removal of the at
least one side unit.
17. The nacelle according to claim 1, wherein the at least one side
unit is adapted to accommodate the at least one wind turbine
component during transport from a manufacturing location to a wind
turbine site.
18. The nacelle according to claim 1, further comprising a cover
covering at least part of the main unit and at least part of the at
least one side unit.
19. The nacelle according to claim 1, further comprising a main
cover covering at least part of the main unit, and at least one
side cover covering at least part of the at least one side
unit.
20. The nacelle according to claim 1, wherein the at least one side
of the main unit includes first and second opposed sides, wherein
the at least one side unit comprises one side unit mounted along
the first side of the main unit and a cooling device having a
cooling area is mounted to and extends from the second side of the
main unit, the one side unit on the first side and the cooling
device on the second side providing an asymmetric configuration of
the nacelle.
21. The nacelle according to claim 20, comprising a cooling cover
having at least one inner face, the cooling device being enclosed
by a face of the second side of the main unit and the inner face of
the cover.
22. A wind turbine comprising a nacelle according to claim 1.
23. A method for erecting a wind turbine comprising a nacelle
comprising: erecting a wind turbine tower, mounting a main unit on
the wind turbine tower, via a yawing arrangement, the main unit
having a top, a bottom, and at least one side between the top and
bottom, the at least one side defining a mounting plane, hoisting
at least one side unit to a position adjacent to the at least one
side of the main unit, wherein no structural component associated
with the main unit protrudes through the mounting plane such that
the at least one side unit is hoisted directly adjacent and
substantially parallel to the mounting plane of the main unit, and
connecting the at least one side unit to the at least one side of
the main unit in such a manner that the main unit and the at least
one side unit are distributed side-by-side along a substantially
horizontal direction which is substantially traverse to a
rotational axis of a rotor of the wind turbine.
24. The method according to claim 23, further comprising
transporting the at least one side unit having at least one wind
turbine component mounted therein from a manufacturing location to
a wind turbine site, prior to performing the step of hoisting the
at least one side unit.
25. The method according to claim 24, further comprising;
disconnecting the at least one side unit having the at least one
wind turbine component from the at least one side of the main unit,
lowering the at least one side unit from the main unit directly
adjacent and substantially parallel to the mounting plane of the
main unit.
26. The method according to claim 23, wherein the at least one side
unit includes at least one wind turbine component mounted therein
prior to the at least one side unit being hoisted.
27. The method of claim 23, wherein the main unit has an interface
to which the at least one side unit is connected, the method
further comprising: disconnecting the at least one side unit from
the interface of the main unit; lowering the at least one side
unit; hoisting a crane to a position adjacent the interface; and
connecting the crane to the interface.
28. A nacelle for a wind turbine, comprising: a main unit arranged
to be connected to a wind turbine tower, via a yawing arrangement,
the main unit having a top, a bottom, and at least one side between
the top and bottom, the main unit having an interior; and a first
side unit and a second side unit mounted along the at least one
side of the main unit in such a manner that the main unit and each
of the first side unit and the second side unit are distributed
side-by-side along a substantially horizontal direction which is
substantially transverse to a rotational axis of a rotor of the
wind turbine, each of the first side unit and the second side unit
having an interior, wherein a substantially vertical wall extends
between the main unit and the first side unit and the second side
unit to separate the interior of the main unit and the interior of
the first side unit and the second side unit, the wall including a
first door to allow passage between the interior of the main unit
and the interior of one of the first side unit or the second side
unit in the substantially horizontal direction, and wherein at
least one wind turbine component is mounted within the interior of
and supported by one of the first side unit or the second side
unit.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a nacelle for a wind turbine, the
nacelle comprising a main unit and at least one side unit mounted
on a side of the main unit. The nacelle of the present invention is
particularly suitable for use in large wind turbines. The present
invention further relates to a method for erecting a wind turbine
comprising such a nacelle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Over the past years there has been a tendency for wind turbines to
increase in size, in terms of nominal power output as well as in
terms of physical dimensions of the individual parts of the wind
turbine. As a consequence, the size of the nacelle must also be
increased in order to ensure that the nacelle is capable of
accommodating the required wind turbine components.
Wind turbines are normally transported from the location or
locations of manufacture of the individual parts to the operating
site where the wind turbine is supposed to be erected. Accordingly,
as the size of the wind turbines, and thereby the size of the
individual parts of the wind turbines, increases it becomes
increasingly difficult to transport the parts to the operating
site, and the dimensions of roads, transport vehicles etc., impose
an upper limit to the size of parts which it is possible to
transport. It is therefore desirable to be able to divide some of
the larger parts of the wind turbine into smaller modules during
transport of the parts to the operating site.
EP 2 063 119 discloses a module of a nacelle of a wind turbine,
which is separately designed, manageable and comprises a housing
part. The module is connectable to at least one further module of
the nacelle, which is also separately designed, manageable and has
a housing part. The housing part of the module builds in the
assembled status of the nacelle, which comprises several modules, a
part of the housing of the nacelle. The modules disclosed in EP 2
063 119 are arranged one behind the other along a direction defined
by the rotational axis of the rotor of the wind turbine. This has
the consequence that some of the modules are arranged with a
relatively long distance to the tower which carries the nacelle.
Thereby the loads, in particular in the form of torque, introduced
by these modules become relatively high, and the requirements to
the strength of the construction of the nacelle as well as of the
tower are increased.
DE 10 2007 062 622 A1 discloses a wind turbine comprising a rotor
with at least one rotor blade, a tower and a nacelle mounted on the
tower. The nacelle comprises a machine house accommodating the
drive train of the wind turbine, and a housing module accommodating
electrical means of the wind turbine. The housing module is mounted
on the wind turbine via a first attachment portion between the
housing module and the machine housing, and a second attachment
portion between the housing module and the yawing arrangement. The
housing module is arranged below the machine housing.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of embodiments of the invention to provide a
nacelle for a wind turbine, the nacelle being transportable using
ordinary transport means, without limiting the possible size of the
nacelle.
It is a further object of embodiments of the invention to provide a
nacelle for a wind turbine, in which the torque loads on the
nacelle are reduced as compared to prior art nacelles with the same
or similar dimensions.
It is an even further object of embodiments of the invention to
provide a method for erecting a wind turbine without the
requirement of a large crane, and without imposing limits on the
total size of the nacelle of the wind turbine.
According to a first aspect the invention provides a nacelle for a
wind turbine, the nacelle comprising:
a main unit arranged to be connected to a wind turbine tower, via a
yawing arrangement,
at least one side unit mounted along a side of the main unit in
such a manner that a direct access is allowed between the main unit
and the side unit(s), each side unit accommodating at least one
wind turbine component, and at least one side unit being capable of
carrying the wind turbine component(s) accommodated therein,
wherein the main unit and at least one of the side unit(s) are
distributed side by side along a substantially horizontal direction
which is substantially transverse to a rotational axis of a rotor
of the wind turbine.
In a first aspect the present invention relates to a nacelle for a
wind turbine. Modern wind turbines comprise a tower construction
mounted on a foundation on the ground or, in case of off-shore wind
turbines, a foundation on the seabed or a floating foundation. A
nacelle is mounted on the top of the tower construction, via a
yawing arrangement, in such a manner that the nacelle can rotate
about a substantially vertical yawing axis in order to allow the
blades of the wind turbine to be directed into the wind. The
nacelle carries a rotor having a set of wind turbine blades mounted
thereon. The blades catch the wind, thereby causing the rotor to
rotate, and the rotational movements of the rotor are transformed
into electrical energy in a generator, e.g., via a gear
arrangement. The nacelle further defines a housing or enclosure
accommodating various wind turbine components, such as a generator,
one or more converters, a drive train, e.g., including a gear
arrangement, various electrical components, cooling equipment,
hydraulic components, lifting equipment, etc.
The nacelle of the invention comprises a main unit and at least one
side unit. The main unit is arranged to be connected to a wind
turbine tower via a yawing arrangement. Thus, the main unit forms
the part of the nacelle which is connected to the tower, and it is
rotatable with respect to the tower due to the yawing arrangement,
as described above.
Each side unit is mounted along a side of the main unit in such a
manner that direct access is allowed between the main unit and the
side unit(s), i.e., a side unit is a unit which is mounted next to
or along a side of the main unit. Accordingly, when the side
unit(s) is/are mounted on the main unit, personnel is allowed to
move around in an interior nacelle space which is larger than the
interior space defined by the main unit, as well as larger than the
interior space defined by each of the side unit(s), since the
personnel is allowed to gain access to the interior of the main
unit as well as to the interior of the side unit(s). This makes it
easy to accommodate the various wind turbine components in the
nacelle in a manner which allows personnel to gain access to the
components or move around the components, even if the components
have considerable sizes. Furthermore, a nacelle defining an
interior space of a sufficient size is provided, and it is possible
to transport the nacelle to the operating site by means of
traditional transport means, because the main unit and the side
unit(s) can be transported independently of each other.
Direct access between the main unit and the side unit(s) may, e.g.,
be obtained by mounting at least one side of the main unit in such
a manner that a common interior space is defined by the main unit
and the side unit(s). According to this embodiment, one large
interior space is defined in the nacelle. The common interior space
of the nacelle may advantageously be formed by leaving the sides of
the main unit and the side unit(s) which face each other completely
open or almost completely open, thereby allowing substantially free
passage between the main unit and the side unit(s).
It should be noted that even though, according to this embodiment,
a common interior space is defined by the main unit and the side
unit(s) of the nacelle of the present invention, it is not ruled
out that one or more of the wind turbine components which are
accommodated in the nacelle is/are enclosed in or covered by
separate rooms, units, racks etc. For instance, it may be desirable
to enclose a transformer in this manner, e.g., for safety
reasons.
As an alternative, direct access between the main unit and the side
unit(s) may be obtained by providing door openings in walls defined
between the main unit and the side unit(s), thereby allowing
personnel to move between the interior of the main unit and the
interior of the side unit(s) via such door openings. This
embodiment is advantageous with respect to temperature control
inside the nacelle.
The side unit(s) may be mounted along a side of the main unit in
such a manner that each of the side unit(s) can be moved directly
between the mounted position at the nacelle and a base level of the
wind turbine. The base level is preferably a level which is
arranged at or near the foot of the tower of the wind turbine, and
it may, e.g., be the ground level in the case that the wind turbine
is arranged on land. Alternatively, it may be a sea level, or it
may be a level defined by a transporting vessel, such as a truck or
a barge, adapted to carry a side unit during transport to the
operating site of the wind turbine. In any event it should be
understood that the base level is normally arranged at a level
which is lower than the level of the nacelle. It is noted that the
main unit, the side unit(s) the rotor, the wind turbine blades
and/or any wind turbine component accommodated in the nacelle may
be delivered by means of airborne vessels, such as a helicopter or
an airship.
Thus, according to this embodiment, movements of a side unit
between the mounted position at the nacelle and a base level
include substantially vertical movements in a downwards direction
from the nacelle towards the base level, as well as substantially
vertical movements in an upwards direction from the base level
towards the nacelle. The side unit(s) can be moved directly between
these two positions, i.e., it/they can be lowered from or hoisted
to the mounted position at the nacelle along a substantially
vertical direction, without having to move the side unit(s) in a
sideways or substantially horizontal direction. This is an
advantage because it allows the side unit(s) to be moved by means
of hoisting equipment arranged in the nacelle, thereby avoiding the
need for an external crane for mounting, repair or replacement of
the side unit(s) and/or of one or more wind turbine components
accommodated in the side unit(s).
Each side unit accommodates at least one wind turbine component. In
the present context the term "wind turbine component" should be
interpreted to mean components which are required for operation of
the wind turbine, and which are normally arranged in the nacelle,
or which may advantageously be arranged in the nacelle. Thus, the
term `wind turbine component` includes, but is not limited to,
transformer, converter, generator, control units, hydraulic units,
cooling modules, main shaft, various bearings, gear arrangement,
etc. It is an advantage that one or more of the wind turbine
components is/are accommodated in the side unit(s), since it allows
the common interior space defined by the units to be utilized to
the greatest possible extent. Furthermore, it allows wind turbine
components to be hoisted to the nacelle along with the side unit(s)
during erection of the wind turbine, or in the case that one or
more wind turbine components need to be replaced. Thereby the total
weight which needs to be lifted to the top of the tower during
erection of the wind turbine is divided into smaller portions, and
the requirements on the lifting equipment can be lowered. This
reduces the costs involved with erection of, decommissioning of
and/or service on the wind turbine, since cheaper lifting equipment
can be used.
At least one side unit is capable of carrying the wind turbine
component(s) accommodated therein. Thus, at least one side unit has
a structure which allows it to carry the wind turbine component(s)
without the wind turbine component(s) being supported by the main
unit or the tower, except via the side unit.
The main unit and at least one of the side unit(s) are distributed
side by side along a transverse direction of the nacelle, i.e.,
along a direction which is substantially horizontal and
substantially transverse to a rotational axis of the rotor of the
wind turbine. This is contrary to the situation disclosed in EP 2
063 119, where the nacelle modules are arranged one behind the
other along a direction defined by the rotational axis of the
rotor. It is also contrary to the situation disclosed in DE 10 2007
062 622 A1, where the housing module is arranged below the machine
house. It is an advantage that the main unit and the side unit(s)
are distributed along a transverse direction, because it allows the
side unit(s), and thereby the wind turbine components accommodated
in the side unit(s), to be arranged close to the tower of the wind
turbine. Since the tower carries the nacelle, positioning as much
of the weight as possible as close as possible to the tower reduces
the loads, in particular torque loads, in the nacelle. As a
consequence, the requirements to the strength of the nacelle are
reduced, thereby allowing the weight of the nacelle structure to be
reduced. As a consequence, the loads transferred to the tower are
also reduced, thereby reducing the requirements to the strength of
the tower and allowing a reduction of the weight of the tower
construction. All in all this introduces considerable reductions in
the costs of the wind turbine, since the costs of materials as well
as the costs involved with transport of the parts are reduced. It
is also an advantage that the main unit and the side unit(s) are
distributed along a substantially horizontal direction, because it
allows a better utilization of the space defined by the main unit
and the side unit(s), since it is possible to obtain one common
floor of the entire interior part of the nacelle, thereby allowing
personnel to move easily inside the nacelle.
In a preferred embodiment the nacelle comprises two side units, one
mounted on a left side of the main unit and one mounted on a right
side of the main unit, as seen in the direction of the rotational
axis of the rotor of the wind turbine. However, it should be noted
that alternative mutual positions of the units should also be
regarded as falling within the scope of the present invention.
At least one side unit may accommodate at least one wind turbine
component arranged in a closed compartment, said closed compartment
being arranged in the side unit. In the present context the term
`closed compartment` should be interpreted to mean an entity or a
housing defining an interior part which is separated from the
remaining part of the interior of the side unit having the closed
compartment arranged therein, e.g., by means of substantially solid
walls. Thereby it is possible to control the environment inside the
closed compartment independently of the environment in the
remaining part of the nacelle, e.g., with respect to temperature,
humidity, pressure, etc. This makes it easy to control the
environment inside the closed compartment to suit the wind turbine
component(s) arranged therein, and by applying two or more closed
compartments, each accommodating one or more wind turbine
components, it is possible to provide different temperature,
humidity and/or pressure to different wind turbine components,
thereby allowing each wind turbine component to be accommodated
under conditions which are optimal for that wind turbine component
without taking other wind turbine components requiring other
environmental settings into consideration.
Furthermore, arranging one or more wind turbine components in
closed compartment(s) which is/are in turn arranged in the side
unit(s) of the nacelle, allows the wind turbine component(s) to be
mounted in the compartment(s) at the manufacturing site, and to be
transported to the operating site of the wind turbine in the
compartment(s). During the erection of the wind turbine at the
operating site, the compartment(s) can be positioned directly in
the side unit(s), along with the wind turbine component(s)
accommodated therein. This makes it very easy to install the wind
turbine component(s) in the nacelle. The closed compartment(s) may
even be positioned in the side unit(s) at the manufacturing site or
at an assembly site, and transported to the operating site inside
the side unit(s).
At least one closed compartment may provide a sealing enclosure for
the wind turbine component(s) accommodated therein. In this case,
the closed compartment prevents liquid or moisture from passing
between the interior of the closed compartment and the remaining
part of the interior of the side unit having the closed compartment
arranged therein. Thus, in the case that the closed compartment
accommodates a wind turbine component which must not get into
contact with liquid, e.g., electrical equipment, the closed and
sealed compartment prevents liquid, such as rain water or liquid
originating from other wind turbine components, from entering the
interior part of the closed compartment, thereby preventing the
liquid from reaching the wind turbine component. Thereby the wind
turbine component is protected. Similarly, in the case that the
closed compartment accommodates a wind turbine component which
produces or uses liquid, such as hydraulic oil or cooling water,
such liquid is prevented from leaving the closed and sealed
compartment, and it is thereby prevented that such liquid reaches
other wind turbine components or leaks to the environment.
At least one closed compartment may provide electromagnetic
shielding for the wind turbine component(s) arranged in the
compartment. According to this embodiment, the wind turbine
component(s) accommodated in the closed compartment(s) is/are
protected against electromagnetic interference (EMI) and/or damage
caused by lightning strikes. The electromagnetic shielding may,
e.g., be obtained by producing the closed compartment at least
partly from an electrically conducting material, such as a metal.
Thereby the closed compartment functions as a Faraday cage. This
embodiment is particularly useful in the case that sensitive
electrical equipment is accommodated in the closed compartment.
At least one compartment may be provided with a door allowing
access to the wind turbine component(s) arranged in the
compartment. According to this embodiment, the interior of the
closed compartment may be completely separated from the remaining
part of the interior of the side unit having the compartment
arranged therein during normal operation. However, in the case that
inspection, maintenance and/or replacement of one or more wind
turbine components accommodated in the closed compartment is
required, the door can be opened, thereby providing access to the
wind turbine component(s) for the maintenance personnel.
The main unit may comprise at least one beam, each beam being
connectable to lifting equipment for mounting and/or demounting the
main unit on/from the wind turbine tower. According to this
embodiment, the main unit may be hoisted to the operating position
on top of the wind turbine tower during erection of the wind
turbine by connecting the beam(s) to lifting equipment and hoisting
the main unit by means of the lifting equipment and via the
beam(s). Similarly, the main unit may be demounted from the wind
turbine tower by means of lifting equipment and via the beam(s),
e.g., in the case that the wind turbine is to be decommissioned or
the main unit needs to be replaced. It is an advantage of this
embodiment that the main unit can be mounted and/or demounted
on/from the wind turbine tower via one or more parts which form a
part of the main unit, i.e., the beam(s), because the
mounting/demounting of the main unit thereby becomes very easy.
The beam(s) may form part of a hoisting arrangement for hoisting
and/or lowering wind turbine components and/or side unit(s) to/from
the nacelle. The beam(s) may, e.g., be or form part of a structural
or carrying part of the hoisting arrangement. For instance, one or
more winches or the like may be mounted on the beam(s), the beam(s)
thereby carrying the load of a wind turbine component or side unit
being hoisted to or lowered from the nacelle. The beam(s) may be
arranged on the main unit in such a manner that it/they extend
beyond a side of the main unit towards the position of a side unit.
A hoisting arrangement mounted on such a beam will thereby be
capable of hoisting or lowering a side unit directly to or from the
nacelle as described above.
Alternatively or additionally, the beam(s) may be adapted to carry
at least one of the wind turbine component(s) accommodated in one
of the side unit(s). According to this embodiment, the wind turbine
component(s) may be mounted on or attached to the beam(s) once
it/they has/have been hoisted to the nacelle. Thereby the beam(s)
carry the wind turbine component(s), and the loads arising from the
wind turbine component(s) are thereby transferred to the main unit.
The requirements to the strength of the side unit(s) may thereby be
lowered, since the loads arising from the heavy wind turbine
components are carried by the main unit.
As an alternative, the wind turbine component(s), possibly
accommodated in one or more closed compartments as described above,
may be carried by a supporting structure which supports the wind
turbine component(s) from below.
As mentioned above, at least one of the wind turbine component(s)
accommodated by a side unit may be a transformer. The side unit
accommodating a transformer may, in this case, further accommodate
a converter. The converter may be arranged adjacent to the
transformer and adjacent to a generator of the wind turbine. This
is an advantage, because it reduces the routing of cabling and
provides simple electric transmission pathways, thereby minimizing
the current path between the generator and the transformer.
Consequently, the current losses introduced by the cables are also
minimized.
Furthermore, arranging the converter and the transformer in the
same side unit has the advantage that it allows the transformer and
the converter to be mounted in this side unit and connected to each
other prior to hoisting the side unit to the nacelle, e.g., at a
manufacturing site. This makes it very easy to install these
components at the operating site during erection of the wind
turbine.
The transformer may be arranged at a position near the yawing
arrangement. Since the transformer is normally a relatively heavy
wind turbine component, it is an advantage to arrange it as close
as possible to the yawing arrangement, and thereby to the wind
turbine tower, since the torque loads on the nacelle and the tower
arising from the weight of the transformer can thereby be
minimized. Other wind turbine components which are less heavy may
then be arranged further away from the wind turbine tower, and the
total loads on the nacelle and the tower can thereby be
minimized.
At least one of the wind turbine component(s) accommodated by a
side unit may be an onboard crane. According to this embodiment, an
onboard crane is available in the nacelle, e.g. for moving the wind
turbine components accommodated by the main unit and the side
unit(s).
As an alternative, an onboard crane may be accommodated by the main
unit.
According to one embodiment, the nacelle may comprise at least two
side units, a first side unit accommodating one or more electrical
wind turbine components, and a second side unit accommodating one
or more liquid containing wind turbine components. According to
this embodiment, the electrical wind turbine components are
arranged in the vicinity of each other, thereby minimizing the
routing of cabling as described above. Furthermore, the electrical
wind turbine components are kept separate from the liquid
containing wind turbine components. This increases the safety of
the wind turbine, since the risk of liquids getting into contact
with electrical components is reduced considerably. Liquid
containing wind turbine components may include, but are not limited
to, hydraulic equipment, cooling modules, fire protection equipment
and/or lubricating systems. Accommodating related liquid containing
wind turbine components, for instance components requiring
hydraulic liquid, in the same side unit furthermore has the
advantage that an optimal routing of the liquid can be obtained,
minimizing the liquid pathways, similarly to the advantages
obtained by arranging the electrical wind turbine components in the
vicinity of each other.
At least one side unit may extend substantially along the entire
length of the main unit. In this case the length of the nacelle,
i.e., the distance from the rotor to the rear wall of the nacelle,
is defined by the length of the main unit as well as the length of
said side unit, said lengths being substantially identical. In this
case the nacelle can be easily assembled at the operating site in a
manner defining a common interior space of the nacelle.
Alternatively or additionally, two or more side units may be
arranged side by side along the length of the main unit and facing
the same side of the main unit. Furthermore, it could be envisaged
that two or more side units may be arranged one on top of the other
along a side of the main unit.
An interface defined by the main unit towards a side unit may be
connectable to a corresponding interface of a crane, upon removal
of the side unit. According to this embodiment, in the case that a
larger crane is required at the wind turbine, a side module can be
lowered by means of hoisting equipment arranged in the nacelle, and
the crane may subsequently be hoisted to the nacelle, using the
same hoisting equipment. Once the crane has been hoisted to the
nacelle it can be mounted on the main unit, using the same
interface which is used for mounting the side unit on the main
unit. This makes it very easy to provide the larger crane, and the
use of large, ground based cranes can be avoided. A larger crane as
described above may, e.g., be required in order to hoist/lower
heavy components, such as gear, drivetrain, generator or rotor
blades, to/from the nacelle. The interface defined by the main unit
may, e.g., include one or more flanges and/or one or more bolt
openings allowing the side unit or the crane to be mounted on the
main unit.
The side unit(s) may be adapted to accommodate the wind turbine
component(s) during transport from a manufacturing location to a
wind turbine site. According to this embodiment, the wind turbine
components may be mounted in the side unit(s) at the manufacturing
location, and the side unit(s) may then be transported to the wind
turbine site or operating site along with the wind turbine
components which have been mounted therein. This facilitates the
process of mounting the wind turbine components considerably, since
it is much easier to mount the wind turbine components while the
side unit(s) is/are located on the ground and indoors than it is to
mount them when the side unit(s) is/are located at the top of the
wind turbine tower at the operating site of the wind turbine.
Furthermore, a side unit and all the wind turbine components
accommodated therein can be hoisted to the nacelle in one go,
thereby reducing the amount of time required for erecting the wind
turbine at the operating site.
According to one embodiment, two side units, each accommodating one
or more wind turbine components, may be joined together at the
manufacturing location in such a manner that a substantially closed
unit is formed. This closed unit may subsequently be transported to
the operating site of the wind turbine, where the side units are
once again separated before they are hoisted to the nacelle and
mounted on the main unit.
Alternatively or additionally, the side unit(s) may comprise
connecting means allowing (a) transportation cover(s) to be
attached to the side unit(s) during transport of the side unit(s),
e.g., from a manufacturing location to a wind turbine site.
According to this embodiment, the transportation cover may be
attached to a side unit at the manufacturing site, and the side
unit, with the transportation cover attached thereto, can be
transported to the operating site of the wind turbine. The
transportation cover protects the side unit as well as the wind
turbine component(s) accommodated therein during the transport.
When the side unit arrives at the operating site of the wind
turbine, the transportation cover can be removed before the side
unit is mounted on the main unit of the nacelle.
The transportation cover may substantially enclose the entire side
unit. As an alternative, the transportation cover may only partly
enclose the side unit. This may, e.g., be the case if the side unit
is provided with a cover or a cover part which forms part of a
nacelle cover during operation of the wind turbine. In this case
the transportation cover may only cover the parts of the side unit
which are not already covered by the cover or cover part, and the
side unit may be entirely covered by the cover or cover part and
the transportation cover in combination during transportation. The
parts of the side unit covered by the transportation cover may,
e.g., include an interface of the side unit towards the main
unit.
The nacelle may further comprise a cover covering at least part of
the main unit and at least part of at least one of the side
unit(s). According to this embodiment, a common cover is provided
to at least partly cover the main unit as well as at least one of
the side unit(s). Thereby the nacelle, with the main unit and the
side unit(s), appears as a single unit of the wind turbine, even
though the main unit and the side unit(s) are structurally separate
parts.
As an alternative, the nacelle may further comprise a main cover
covering at least part of the main unit, and at least one side
cover covering at least part of a side unit. According to this
embodiment, the main unit and the side unit(s) are provided with
separate covers. The main cover and the side cover(s) may be joined
together during erection of the wind turbine or assembly of the
nacelle, in such a manner that they form a boundary between the
interior of the nacelle and the exterior. As described above, the
separate covers may be useful for at least partly covering the main
unit and the side unit(s) during transport from the manufacturing
site to the operating site of the wind turbine.
At least one cover may be provided with at least one opening
allowing passage of wind turbine components. The opening may
advantageously be provided with a closing element, e.g., in the
form of a door, a hatch or the like, in which case the nacelle may
be completely enclosed during normal operation, and access can be
gained to the interior of the nacelle by opening or removing the
closing element, when this is required.
According to one embodiment, at least one side unit may be mounted
along a first side of the main unit and a cooling device having a
cooling area may extend from a second side of the main unit, the
second side being arranged opposite to the first side. According to
this embodiment, a side unit and a cooling device are mounted on
opposing sides of the main unit. The cooling device provides
cooling for one or more heat producing components of the nacelle,
such as a generator, a transformer, a gear box, a frequency
converter, etc.
The nacelle may comprise a cooling cover having at least one inner
face, the cooling device being enclosed by a face of the second
side of the main unit and the inner face of the cover. The present
invention further relates to a wind turbine comprising a nacelle
according to the first aspect of the invention.
According to a second aspect the invention provides a method for
erecting a wind turbine, said wind turbine comprising a nacelle
according to the first aspect of the invention, the method
comprising the steps of:
erecting a wind turbine tower,
mounting a main unit on the wind turbine tower, via a yawing
arrangement,
hoisting at least one side unit, along with at least one wind
turbine component accommodated therein, to a position adjacent to
the main unit, and
connecting the side unit to the main unit in such a manner that a
common interior nacelle space is defined by the main unit and the
side unit(s).
It should be noted that a person skilled in the art would readily
recognize that any feature described in combination with the first
aspect of the invention could also be combined with the second
aspect of the invention, and vice versa.
The method may further comprise the step of transporting at least
one side unit accommodating at least one wind turbine component
from a manufacturing location to a wind turbine site, prior to
performing the step of hoisting the side unit(s).
The step of connecting the side unit to the main unit may be
performed in such a manner that the main unit and the side unit are
distributed side by side along a substantially horizontal direction
which is substantially transverse to a rotational axis of a rotor
of the wind turbine. This has already been described above with
reference to the first aspect of the invention, and the remarks set
forth above are equally applicable here.
As an alternative, a wind turbine comprising a nacelle according to
the first aspect of the invention may be erected in the following
manner. The main unit and the side unit(s) are manufactured
separately and transported to an assembly location, e.g., at a port
or harbour. The main unit and the side unit(s) are then assembled
at the assembly location to form the nacelle, and the assembled
nacelle is transported to the operating site of the wind turbine
where it is mounted on a tower construction. This approach may be
desirable in the case that the operating site is an offshore site,
since the assembled nacelle can in this case be transported by
means of a ship or a barge, where it is possible to transport
larger items than it is using trucks. Furthermore, it is desirable
that the assembly of the nacelle can take place on ground rather
than at the offshore site.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will now be described in further detail with
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a wind turbine having a nacelle
according to an embodiment of the invention mounted at a tower
thereof,
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a nacelle according to a first
embodiment of the invention,
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the nacelle of FIG. 2, wherein wind
turbine components accommodated in the nacelle are visible,
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the nacelle of FIG. 2, wherein a
side module has been replaced by a crane,
FIG. 5 is a side view of the nacelle according to a second
embodiment of the invention,
FIG. 6 is a top view of the nacelle of FIG. 5,
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a wind turbine comprising a nacelle
according to a third embodiment of the invention,
FIG. 8 shows a detail of the nacelle illustrated in FIG. 7,
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a nacelle according to a fourth
embodiment of the invention,
FIGS. 10 and 11 illustrate two side units for use in a nacelle
according to an embodiment of the invention,
FIGS. 12 and 13 illustrate two side units for use in a nacelle
according to an alternative embodiment of the invention,
FIGS. 14 and 15 are perspective views of side units comprising a
transportation cover,
FIG. 16 is a schematic view of a nacelle according to a fifth
embodiment of the invention,
FIG. 17 is a schematic view of a nacelle according to a sixth
embodiment of the invention, and
FIGS. 18-21 illustrate a nacelle according to a seventh embodiment
of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a wind turbine 1 having a nacelle 2
according to an embodiment of the invention mounted on a tower 3
thereof. A hub 4 carrying three rotor blades 5 is mounted at the
nacelle 2. A top part of the nacelle 2 has been removed for the
sake of clarity, thereby revealing the interior parts of the
nacelle 2. Inside the nacelle 2 a gear arrangement 6 is
accommodated. The nacelle 2 is described in further detail below
with reference to FIGS. 2-6.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a nacelle 2 according to a first
embodiment of the invention. A hub 4 is mounted on the nacelle 2,
and is provided with three blade flanges 7, each being adapted to
be connected to a corresponding flange of a rotor blade (not
shown). The nacelle 2 comprises a main unit 8 and two side units
9a, 9b. A cooling area 10 is arranged on top of the nacelle 2.
The main unit 8 is mounted on a tower 3 via a yawing arrangement
(not shown), allowing the nacelle 2 to rotate in order to direct
rotor blades carried by the hub 4 into the wind.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the nacelle 2 of FIG. 2. In FIG. 3
the outer walls of the nacelle 2 are transparent, thereby revealing
the interior parts of the nacelle 2 and the wind turbine components
accommodated therein. The main unit 8 accommodates a main bearing
unit 11, a gear arrangement 6 and a generator 12, arranged
sequentially behind the hub 4, along a direction defined by the
rotational axis of the hub 4.
A first side unit 9a accommodates a transformer unit 13, a gear oil
unit 16 and a cooling unit 15. A second side unit 9b accommodates a
converter unit 14 and a hydraulic unit 17.
The side units 9a, 9b are each mounted along a side of the main
unit 8 in such a manner that one side unit 9a is mounted along a
left side of the main unit 8 and the other side unit 9b is mounted
along a right side of the main unit 8, as seen in a direction along
a rotational axis of the hub 4 from the hub 4 towards a rear wall
of the main unit 8. Accordingly, the nacelle 2 with the side units
9a, 9b mounted on the main unit 8 is wider than the main unit 8,
while the length of the nacelle 2 is essentially identical to the
length of the main unit 8. It is an advantage that the side units
9a, 9b are mounted in this manner relative to the main unit 8,
because the weight of the wind turbine components 13, 14, 15, 16,
17 accommodated in the side units 9a, 9b is thereby arranged
relatively close to the tower 3. Since the tower 3 carries the
loads arising from the nacelle 2 and everything accommodated
therein, the torque loads occurring in the nacelle 2 and in the
tower 3 are reduced when the side units 9a, 9b are arranged as
illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, as compared to a situation where
additional units are arranged one behind the other along a
direction defined by the rotational axis of the hub 4.
It is clear from FIG. 3 that the side units 9a, 9b are connected to
the main unit 8 in such a manner that the interior parts of the
main unit 8 and the side units 9a, 9b form one common interior
space. Accordingly, once the side units 9a, 9b have been mounted on
the main unit 8, a wide nacelle 2 with a large interior space for
accommodating various components is provided. However, this is
obtained without the drawbacks involved with transporting a nacelle
with the same dimensions in one piece, because the nacelle 2 is
made from the main unit 8 and the side units 9a, 9b, which are
transported individually to the operating site.
Each of the side units 9a, 9b can be lowered directly from the
position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 towards the ground, because no
beams or other structural parts protrude from the main unit 8
towards the side units 9a, 9b at a floor level of the nacelle 2.
Similarly, the side units 9a, 9b can be hoisted directly from a
lower level, e.g., a ground level, to the mounted position
illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, e.g., during erection of the wind
turbine. This is an advantage, because it allows the side units 9a,
9b, including the wind turbine components 13, 14, 15, 16, 17
accommodated therein, to be hoisted to or lowered from the mounted
position by means of hoisting equipment (not shown) arranged in the
nacelle 2. Furthermore, it allows the total weight which needs to
be hoisted to the position at the top of the tower 3 to be divided
into smaller portions, and the requirements to the lifting
equipment used during erection of the wind turbine are thereby
reduced.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the nacelle 2 of FIG. 2. However,
in FIG. 4 one of the side units (9b in FIG. 3) has been lowered
from the nacelle 2. Instead a crane 18 has been hoisted to the
nacelle 2 and mounted on the main unit 8, using the same interface
which was used for mounting the side unit 9b to the main unit 8 in
the situation illustrated in FIG. 3. The crane 18 is of a size
which does not allow it to be permanently accommodated in the
nacelle 2. However, it may sometimes be necessary or desirable to
have such a crane 18 present in or at the nacelle 2. The crane 18
may, e.g., be used for moving some of the larger wind turbine
components accommodated in the nacelle 2, e.g., the gear
arrangement 6 or the generator 12. It is an advantage that the
design of the nacelle 2 allows a larger and more powerful crane 18
to be available in the nacelle 2 in an easy manner, i.e., simply by
lowering a side unit 9b from the nacelle 2 and hoisting the crane
18 to the position where the side unit 9b was previously mounted,
because this allows easy access to such a crane 18 without the
disadvantages relating to space consumption by having the crane 18
installed permanently in the nacelle 2.
FIG. 5 is a side view of a nacelle 2 according to a second
embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 6 is a top view of the
nacelle 2 of FIG. 5. In FIG. 6 the roof of the nacelle 2 has been
removed in order to reveal the interior of the nacelle 2 and the
wind turbine components accommodated therein. These components have
already been described above with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, and
will therefore not be described in further detail here. The
embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6 is very similar to the
embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 2-4. However, in FIGS. 5 and 6, the
converter unit 14 is accommodated in the side unit 9a which also
accommodates the transformer unit 13. Thus, the electrical wind
turbine components 13, 14 are accommodated in the first side unit
9a, and the liquid containing wind turbine components 16, 17 are
accommodated in the second side unit 9b. This is an advantage,
because the risk that the electrical wind turbine components 13, 14
get into contact with liquid is thereby reduced. Furthermore, it is
an advantage that the converter unit 14 is arranged immediately
next to the transformer 13 as well as immediately next to the
generator 12, because the current paths between these components
are thereby minimized as described in detail above.
In FIG. 6 two lifting beams 19 are visible. The lifting beams 19
are arranged transversally across the main unit 8 of the nacelle 2.
During erection of the wind turbine, the main unit 8 may be hoisted
to the position on top of the tower by coupling the lifting beams
19 to lifting equipment, such as a large crane, and lifting the
main unit 8 in position by means of the lifting equipment and via
the lifting beams 19. Furthermore, the lifting beams 19 may be
equipped with hoisting equipment used for hoisting the side units
9a, 9b and/or the wind turbine components 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 to the
mounted position. Similarly, such hoisting equipment may be used
for lowering the side units 9a, 9b and/or the wind turbine
components 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 at a later time. Finally, the lifting
beams 19 may be used for mounting one or more of the heavy wind
turbine components, e.g., the transformer 13 or the converter 14
after the side unit 9a has been hoisted to the nacelle 2 and
mounted on the main unit 8. In this case the weight of these wind
turbine components is carried by the main unit 8 during normal
operation of the wind turbine.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a wind turbine 1 with a nacelle 2
according to a third embodiment of the invention mounted on a tower
3 thereof. A hub 4 carrying three rotor blades 5 is mounted at the
nacelle 2. The nacelle 2 is shown without a cover or top part in
order to reveal the interior parts of the nacelle 2.
The nacelle 2 comprises a main unit 8 and two side units 9a, 9b,
similarly to the embodiment shown in FIG. 2. A main bearing unit 11
and a gear arrangement 6 are accommodated in the main unit 8. Each
of the side units 9a, 9b accommodates three closed compartments 20.
Each of the closed compartments 20 accommodates one or more wind
turbine components, such as generator, transformer, converter,
cooling devices, oil units, hydraulic units, etc. Since the wind
turbine components are arranged in the closed compartments 20, it
is possible to customize various environmental parameters, such as
temperature, humidity, moisture, etc., to the wind turbine
component(s) accommodated in a specific closed compartment 20,
without taking requirements of other wind turbine components into
consideration. Furthermore, it is easier to control the environment
inside a closed compartment 20 than in the entire interior part of
the nacelle 2, because the volume of one of the closed compartments
20 is significantly smaller than the volume of the entire interior
part of the nacelle 2.
Furthermore, the wind turbine components can be arranged in the
closed compartments 20 at the manufacturing site and transported to
the operating site of the wind turbine 1 in the closed compartments
20, and the closed compartments 20, along with the wind turbine
components accommodated therein, can be mounted in the nacelle 2.
This makes it easy to install the wind turbine components in the
nacelle 2.
FIG. 8 shows a detail of the nacelle 2 illustrated in FIG. 7. Part
of the main unit 8, accommodating the gear arrangement 6, and three
closed compartments 20 are visible. The closed compartments 20 are
provided with openings 21 allowing access to the interior parts of
the closed compartments 20. The openings 21 may be provided with
doors or hatches (not shown) which may be closed during normal
operation of the wind turbine, thereby substantially enclosing the
wind turbine components accommodated in the closed compartments 20.
When access to the wind turbine components is required, e.g., in
order to perform inspection, maintenance or replacement of one or
more wind turbine components, the door or hatch of the relevant
closed compartment 20 can be opened, thereby allowing access to the
wind turbine components accommodated in the closed compartment 20,
via the opening 21. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a nacelle 2
according to a fourth embodiment of the invention. The nacelle 2
comprises a main unit and two side units, similarly to the
embodiments described above. In the nacelle 2 shown in FIG. 9, a
common upper cover 22 and a common lower cover 23 enclose the main
unit as well as the side units. Accordingly, the main unit and the
side units are not visible in FIG. 9.
FIGS. 10 and 11 show side units 9a, 9b for use in a nacelle
according to an embodiment of the invention. In FIG. 10 each of the
side units 9a, 9b is provided with a transportation cover 24,
covering three sides of the side unit 9a, 9b. In FIG. 11 each side
unit 9a, 9b is further provided with a side cover 25 covering the
remaining three sides of the side unit 9a, 9b. Thus, it is clear
from FIG. 11 that the transportation cover 24 and the side cover 25
in combination completely enclose the side unit 9a, 9b. The side
cover 25 is permanently mounted on the side unit 9a, 9b in the
sense that it is mounted on the side unit 9a, 9b at the
manufacturing site, and it forms part of the outer walls of the
nacelle when the side unit 9a, 9b is mounted on a main unit.
The transportation cover 24, on the other hand, is only mounted on
the side unit 9a, 9b during transportation of the side unit 9a, 9b
in order to protect the side unit 9a, 9b during the transportation.
Thus, the transportation cover 24 should be removed before the side
unit 9a, 9b is mounted on a main unit, thereby assembling the
nacelle.
FIGS. 12 and 13 show side units 9a, 9b for use in a nacelle
according to an alternative embodiment of the invention. The side
units 9a, 9b are provided with transportation covers 24 and side
covers 25, similarly to the side units 9a, 9b shown in FIGS. 10 and
11. However, in FIGS. 12 and 13, the transportation covers 24 cover
two sides of each side unit 9a, 9b, and the side covers 25 cover
four sides of each side unit 9a, 9b.
FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a side unit 9 for use in a nacelle
according to an embodiment of the invention. The side unit 9 is
provided with a side cover 25 covering five sides of the side unit
9, thereby leaving only one side of the side unit 9 open. The open
side forms an interface of the side unit 9 towards a main unit, and
a common interior space can thereby be formed by the side unit 9
and the main unit when they are assembled to form the nacelle.
A transportation cover 24 is also illustrated in FIG. 14, and it is
indicated that the transportation cover 24 can be mounted on the
side unit 9 in such a manner that it covers the open side of the
side unit 9. Thus, as described above, the transportation cover 24
can be mounted on the side unit 9 at the manufacturing site, and
the side unit 9 can be transported from the manufacturing site to
the operating site of the wind turbine, or to an assembly site of
the nacelle, thereby protecting the side unit 9 and any parts or
items arranged in the interior part of the side unit 9 during
transportation. Prior to assembling the nacelle, the transportation
cover 24 is removed.
FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a side unit 9 which is similar to
the side unit 9 illustrated in FIG. 14. The remarks set forth above
with reference to FIG. 14 are therefore equally applicable here.
However, in the side unit 9 of FIG. 15, a closed compartment 20 is
accommodated in the side unit 9. Thus, when the side unit 9 is
transported from the manufacturing site to the operating site of
the wind turbine, or to an assembly site of the nacelle, the closed
compartment 20, and any wind turbine components accommodated
therein, is transported along.
FIG. 16 is a schematic view of a nacelle 2 according to a fifth
embodiment of the invention. The nacelle 2 comprises a main unit 8
and two side units 9a, 9b. The main unit 8 and the side units 9a,
9b are shown detached from each other, but it is indicated that the
side units 9a, 9b can be mounted on opposing sides of the main unit
8. Thereby a nacelle 2 similar to the nacelle illustrated in FIG. 2
is obtained.
FIG. 17 is a schematic view of a nacelle 2 according to a sixth
embodiment of the invention. The nacelle 2 comprises a main unit 8
and four side units 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d. The main unit 8 and the side
units 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d are shown detached from each other, but it is
indicated that the side units 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d can be mounted on the
main unit 8 with two of the side units 9a, 9c being mounted along
one side of the main unit 8, and two of the side units 9b, 9d being
mounted along an opposing side of the main unit 8. The combined
length of the side units 9a, 9c corresponds to the length of the
main unit 8. Similarly, the combined length of the side units 9b,
9d corresponds to the length of the main unit 8.
FIGS. 18-21 illustrate a nacelle 2 according to a seventh
embodiment of the invention. FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the
nacelle 2, FIG. 19 is a top view of the nacelle 2, FIG. 20 is a
front view of the nacelle 2, and FIG. 21 shows the nacelle 2 from
the back.
The nacelle 2 of FIGS. 18-21 comprises a main unit 8 and a side
unit 9 mounted along a side of the main unit 8. A cooling device 26
is mounted on a side of the main unit 8 which is arranged opposite
to the side having the side unit 9 mounted thereon. The cooling
device 26 defines a cooling area which extends from the main unit
8, the cooling device 26 thereby being able to exchange heat with
the air surrounding the nacelle 2. Accordingly, the cooling device
26 is able to provide cooling for one or more heat producing
components of the nacelle 2, such as a generator, a transformer, a
gear box, a frequency converter, etc.
A cooling cover 27 is arranged to partly cover the cooling device
26. Thus the cooling device 26 is thereby enclosed by a part of the
side of the main unit 8 having the cooling device 26 mounted
thereon, and inner sides of the cooling cover 27.
* * * * *
References